senryu – lapis lazuli

senryu – lapis lazuli

lapis lazuli
inlaid in a silver ring –
royal talisman 




lapis lazuli
dans une alliance d’argent –
talisman royal

Richard Vallance

illustration, ancient Minoan silver ring inlaid with lapis lazuli, ca. 1,500 BCE
Illustration, alliance minoen d’argent marqueté de lapis lazuli, vers 1.500 AVJC

senryu – your nose is all wet = le nez mouillé

senryu – your nose is all wet = le nez mouillé

your nose is all wet,
your eyes azure blue – 
quiz... are you a cat?



le nez mouillé,
les yeux azurés – 
quiz... es-tu un chat ?

Richard Vallance

winter haiku d’hiver – the cat’s azure eyes = les yeux azurés du chat

winter haiku d’hiver – the cat’s azure eyes = les yeux azurés du chat

the cat’s azure eyes
reflecting galaxies
of virgin ice



les yeux azurés
du chat, galaxies, images 
de glace vierge

Richard Vallance 

The full range of marvelous, rich colours the Minoans at Knossos used on their stunning frescoes!

The full range of marvelous, rich colours the Minoans at Knossos used on their stunning frescoes!




 
We notice right away that the colours they had at their disposal ran from various shades of yellows (saffron) and oranges to blues and various shades of purple. The Minoans at Knossos, Pylos, Thera (Thira, Santorini) and elsewhere were unable to reproduce green pigment.  This minor drawback had little or no perceptible effect on the splendid results they almost invariably came up with in their breathtaking frescoes, the likes of which were not reproduced anywhere else in the Occidental ancient world, except perhaps by the Romans, especially at Pompeii. The Romans were able to reproduce greens. 

Two lovely frescoes from Pompeii: